Water vehicle



y 1964 R. J. CEDAR WATER VEHICLE Filed March 7, 1962 United States Patent Office 3,141,181 Patented July 21, 1964 3,141,181 WATER VEHICLE Raymond J. Cedar, 14915 Stoepel, Detroit 38, Mich. Filed Mar. 7, 1962, Ser. No. 178,039 Claims. (Cl. 9-347) This invention relates a one-man, unpowered water vehicle and more particularly to a vehicle which is adapted for use by an occupant wearing diving apparatus.

A technique of underwater mobility termed scuba diving, wherein a diver carries an air supply on his back, has recently become extensively practiced both as a sport and for commercial purposes. While the buoyant effect of the air tanks makes them substantially weightless under water and allows them to be easily carried on the divers back, they create a serious impediment to the divers motion outside the water. Divers necessarily travel to a certain extent above the water in moving to and between diving locations.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle for divers for use in movement along the surface of water which will support the diver in such a way as to minimize the load of the diving apparatus and the air tanks in particular. Such a vehicle is designed to be towed by a powered boat or to be paddled in an appropriate manner by the diver.

Further objects of the present invention are to provide a vehicle of the aforesaid type which is easily disassembled and is simple in construction so as to be low in cost and reliable in operation.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention which attains these objects, which will subsequently be described in detail, employs a pair of elongated, buoyant pontoons, preferably formed of a foamed plastic material, disposed parallel to and separated from one another. A diver support is detachably secured to each of the pontoons at V points midway along their adjacent sides and acts to maintain them in a fixed relation with respect to one another. This support is preferably formed of tubular metal and includes a pair of short sections which extend perpendicularly from each of the floats toward one another and then are bent so as to extend generally parallel to the extension of the floats to a point toward the ends of the floats where they join one another to form a seat member. The diver support members are detachable from each of the floats so as to form an easily portable unit. The support member is adapted to provide a seat which the diver may straddle and a pair of arm support sections. The support device is so inclined with respect to the horizontal position of the pontoons as to retain the diver with the larger portion of his body below the water surface so that the free-weight of the breathing apparatus is minimized.

Other objects, advantages, and applications of the present invention will be made apparent by the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention. The description makes reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the apparatus illustrating an occupant in phantom;

FIG. 4 is a detail of the joint between the pontoons and the support apparatus taken along lines 44 of FIG. 1 and illustrates the joined members in phantom position;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view through the joint taken along lines 55 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a detailed section of a joint in the diver support member taken along lines 66 of FIG. 2.

The vehicle is supported at the surface of the Water by a pair of pontoons or floats generally indicated at 12. In

the preferred embodiment of the invention, the pontoons 12 are formed of Styrofoam, Which is a trademark of the Dow Chemical Company for their plastic foam material of an expanded polystyrene foam having a closed cellular structure. It should be understood that the pontoons 12 might be formed of any solid material which has a specific gravity less than that of water, or might be formed of a hollow structure having sealed compartments containing air or other low density filling.

The pontoons are broadly formed in an elongated fluid dynamic shape and have flattened tops 14 and truncated rear ends 16. The two pontoons 12 are fixed with respect to one another by an occupant support frame 18, in a manner which will subsequently by described, so as to be disposed with their major axis parallel to one another and to the normal surface of the body of water in which the device is used.

Each of the pontoons 12 has a tubular socket 20 extending across its width parallel to and just below the pontoon surface 14. One of the ends of each socket 20 terminates in a flange 22 which is disposed along the opposed side walls of the pontoons 12. The flanges 22 extend perpendicularly to the axes of the sockets 20. The flanges 22 are generally circular in shape, but have a squared edge 24 which aligns with the edge of the pontoon top 14. Along all their sides except their truncated top 24, the flanges 22 have side walls 26 which extend perpendicularly to the plane of the wall 22, away from the adjacent surface of the pontoon. The side walls 26 terminate in an outer flange 28 which extends inwardly parallel to the flange wall 22. This outer flange wall 28 is wider on one vertical side than the other as might be seen at 28A in FIGS. 4 and 5.

The occupant support member 18 is formed of two identical sections, each of which is comprised of a bar member 30 and a tubular seat member 32. The bar members 30 are preferably formed of aluminum rod and have a pair of end sections 30A and 30B which extend perpendicularly in opposite directions from a center section. The sections 30A are adapted to fit within the sockets 20 in a manner which subsequently be described.

Each of the sections 30B has a hole 34 (FIG. 6) extending through its diameter adjacent its extreme end. End sections 32A of the tubular seat member 32 extend over each of the rod sections 30B and are coupled to the rod sections by pins 36 which pass through holes in the sections 32A and through the holes 34. The sections 32A are joined to sections 32B which extend toward the rear of the vehicle with a slight inclination with respect to the central axis of the pontoons so as to meet midway between the pontoons in sections 32C. These sections are coupled together by rivets 38.

End sections 32D, which are rebent at right angles to the sections 32C so as to extend perpendicularly to the center lines of the pontoons, complete the seat members.

The rod sections 30A are adapted to be disposed within the sockets 20 of the pontoons. Each of the sections 30A has a pair of parallel depressed flats 40 formed midway along its length. A circular collar member 42 has a radial slot 44 which is adapted to slip over the flats 40 in the rod section 32A. The collar 42 is of such a diameter as to slidingly fit in the channel formed by the outer flanges 28 and 28A and the side walls 26 of the flange members 22. The collar members 42 each have a raised section 46 which are generally U-shaped and have their inner wall formed as extensions of the sides of the slots 44. As is illustrated by the phantom position in FIG. 4, the collars 42 are slipped over the rod sections 30A while the entire occupant support member 18 is in a position approximately degrees with respect to the position shown in FIG. 3. The occupant support member 18 and the collar 42 may then be rotated 180 degrees in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 4 until one side of the raised section 46 abuts against the elongated outer flange wall 28. The support member 18 is then restricted against further clockwise movement but may be raised into a position parallel with the axis of the pontoons 12 without becoming detached from the pontoons.

As is illustrated in FIG. 3, the occupant straddles the support sections 32C so that he may sit on the sections 32D. He may then incline forwardly so that his chest rests on the sections 32B and his hands may grasp the sections 32A. In this position the occupants head and shoulders are above the normal water level and the lower part of his body and the major portion of the oxygen apparatus 48 is supported below the water. The buoyancy of the water provides sufficient floatation to the breathing apparatus 48 to prevent it from excessively burdening the diver. The vehicle may be towed through the water by a boat by means of a'line (not shown) which may either be held by the diver or attached to a convenient point on the pontoons 12 or the occupant support section 18. Alternatively, the diver may propel the vehicle by a swimming-type motion'.

Buoyancy of the floats 12 is preferably such that when the vehicle is normally loaded with a diver, a portion of the floats extends above the water level. This allows the frame sections 32A to be clear of the water so as to increase the mobility of the diver.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A water vehicle, comprising: a pair of elongated floats formed so as to have a specific gravity less than water adapted to be supported in the water spaced from one another with their longitudinal axes parallel to the normal water surface and to one another and with a portion of their volume extending above the water surface when the vehicle is loaded; a socket formed in each of the floats; a frame disposedbetween the floats and being connected with each of the sockets by a connection which is rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the floats and arranged so as to allow detaching of the frame from the floats at one extreme of rotation of the frame with respect to the floats, and arranged so as to limit the rotation of the frame with respect to the floats at the extreme of rotation in the other direction wherein said frame is inclined with respect to the longitudinal axes of the floats.

2. A water vehicle, comprising: a pair of elongated floats formed so as to have a specific gravity less than water adapted to be supported in the water spaced from one another with their longitudinal axes parallel to the normal water surface and to one another and with a portion of their volume extending above the water surface when the vehicle is loaded; tubular sockets disposed in each of the floats with their axes horizontal and terminating on opposed sides of the floats; a frame having a forward end terminating in a pair of opposed rod sections adapted to fit within said sockets, a central section normally disposed in a downwardly, rearwardly inclined disposition with respect to said floats, and a seat including a pair of opposed members extending from said frame at its rearward end in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of said floats, means for limiting the rotation of the frame with respect to the floats in one direction; wherein said tubular sockets terminate in flanges which extend perpendicularly to the central axes of the sockets and have walls on their outer edges which extend in the direction away from the sockets, and the said means for limiting the rotation of the frame with respect to the floats includes a collar adapted to be attached to the said rod sections adjacent to the point where they fit in the sockets, and to abut said walls at a point of rotation wherein said central frame section is disposed at a predetermined downward, inclined angle with respect to said floats.

3. A water vehicle comprising: a pair of elongated floats adapted to be supported in the water with their central axes parallel to the water; and a frame operative to connect to both of the floats so as to maintain them with their central axes parallel to one another and to provide an occupant supporting seat, said frame consisting of a pair of bars joined together intermediate of their ends so as to extend parallel to one another and in contacting relationship along the section of their joindure, first right angle bends in each of said bars adjacent to one end of their joined section so as to extend such end sections at degrees with respect to one another, such end sections forming an occupant supporting seat, and second bends in each of said bars adjacent to the other end of their joined section, the extreme ends of such second bend sections making connections with the two floats. 4. The structure of claim 3 wherein the connections between the frame and the floats are such as to maintain .frame to be pivoted with respect to the floats in such a direction as to raise the occupant supporting seat end of the frame above the floats.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,119,775 Chase June 7, 1938 2,716,246 Billingham Aug. 30, 1955 2,717,400 Bourdon Sept. 13, 1955 2,820,655 Hileman Jan. 21, 1958 2,969,037 Vogt Jan. 24, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 19,007 Great Britain 1898 492,421 France Mar. 19, 1919 431,030 Italy Feb. 23, 1948 

3. A WATER VEHICLE COMPRISING: A PAIR OF ELONGATED FLOATS ADAPTED TO BE SUPPORTED IN THE WATER WITH THEIR CENTRAL AXES PARALLEL TO THE WATER; AND A FRAME OPERATIVE TO CONNECT TO BOTH OF THE FLOATS SO AS TO MAINTAIN THEM WITH THEIR CENTRAL AXES PARALLEL TO ONE ANOTHER AND TO PROVIDE AN OCCUPANT SUPPORTING SEAT, SAID FRAME CONSISTING OF A PAIR OF BARS JOINED TOGETHER INTERMEDIATE OF THEIR ENDS SO AS TO EXTEND PARALLEL TO ONE ANOTHER AND IN CONTACTING RELATIONSHIP ALONG THE SECTION OF THEIR JOINDURE, FIRST RIGHT ANGLE BENDS IN EACH OF SAID BARS ADJACENT TO ONE END OF THEIR JOINED SECTION SO AS TO EXTEND SUCH END SECTIONS AT 180 DEGREES WITH RESPECT TO ONE ANOTHER, SUCH END SECTIONS FORMING AN OCCUPANT SUPPORTING SEAT, AND SECOND BENDS IN EACH OF SAID BARS ADJACENT TO THE OTHER END OF THEIR JOINED SECTION, THE EXTREME ENDS OF SUCH SECOND BEND SECTIONS MAKING CONNECTIONS WITH THE TWO FLOATS. 